Scubapro freeflow?

[Wijbrandus]

I like. Checked out the SP Mk25/G250 at the LDS today. 500 bucks. Not too bad I guess, considering that's where I'll need to get it serviced after I buy it. What kind of backup do you use? The LDS only had those flat yellow ones that you see on rentals, but said they'd get me whatever I wanted. The little yellow ones are crap. Throw on an SPG and I'm all set. Woo hoo!

 

[Sean326]

The LDS only had those flat yellow ones that you see on rentals, but said they'd get me whatever I wanted. The little yellow ones are crap.

WHAT!!!

There is a flat yellow one made by APEKS called the Egress I'm pretty sure that one isn't crap.....

I use a cheap flat yellow oceanic (I got at LP for $49.00) and have used it on my pony for three years now. I like it because it lays flat against my pony when stowed. It works great in all environments deep, ice etc. Just to test it I make it a point to breath it occasionally, it didn't free flow in ice and gave plenty of easy breathing air at 150'.

There are lots of ways to judge and categorize gear but flat, yellow or cheap is not the way.

I'm sure we could come up with great examples of round, black and expensive crap.

Ask the dive shop to let you test dive some of the octo's and see for yourself.

 

[Wijbrandus]

Ok, let me qualify that a bit.

The LDS sells only the flat little octo that they put on their rental gear. Having used them in both the pool and open water, I have found this particular model to breathe very wet and not be comfortable at all. I also don't like the way this particular model feels and fits in my mouth. In an air-share situation, I would prefer to use a more robust (dare I say that?) backup regulator than this particular model.

Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the model type. Perhaps it is the one you refer to and love, but in my (very limited) experience, it is not something I would want to rely on.

My apologies if the lack of clarity in my previous post led to some confusion on what I meant to say.

 

[rescuediver009]

Ok, let me qualify that a bit.

The LDS sells only the flat little octo that they put on their rental gear. Having used them in both the pool and open water, I have found this particular model to breathe very wet and not be comfortable at all. I also don't like the way this particular model feels and fits in my mouth. In an air-share situation, I would prefer to use a more robust (dare I say that?) backup regulator than this particular model.

Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the model type. Perhaps it is the one you refer to and love, but in my (very limited) experience, it is not something I would want to rely on.

My apologies if the lack of clarity in my previous post led to some confusion on what I meant to say.

If you aretalking about the Genesis flat-style octo, they are not the worstI have seen. The only other I can think of is the Sherwood Minimus octo which yes, does breathe like crap.

 

[Sean326]

If you aretalking about the Genesis flat-style octo, they are not the worstI have seen. The only other I can think of is the Sherwood Minimus octo which yes, does breathe like crap.

Apeks, Oceanic, Aqua-lung, sherwood, etc.... most manufactures seem to make a flat or low profile backup reg.

 

[pescador775]

The guy who recommended the Sherwood Blizzard is on the right track. The uniquely engineered Blizzard is probably the best cold water single hose ever built. They have been used in Antarctica without problems. The G250/MK25 is a great reg but best for use in clear, warm water. Take care to use a reputable shop for service. The Apeks series are a good compromise for cold and warm environments.

I dive a primarily a MK-14 / G250HP and have for years. It's a great reg set generally but it likes to free flow when water temps are 33-34 deg especially when its been sitting in air in the teens or lower (8 deg on the last ice dive).

now I dive a Poseidon for ice but use the SP for everything else.

I will turn it over to my kids when my new Apeks ATX200 comes in.

 

[Zaphod]

I like. Checked out the SP Mk25/G250 at the LDS today. 500 bucks. Not too bad I guess, considering that's where I'll need to get it serviced after I buy it. What kind of backup do you use? The LDS only had those flat yellow ones that you see on rentals, but said they'd get me whatever I wanted. The little yellow ones are crap. Throw on an SPG and I'm all set. Woo hoo!

Another likely possibility for "flat yellow" crappy octos is the Aqualung LPO. The LDS I work at uses those damn things and I dread every time I have to use a student's octo. I think the biggest problem with them is that the lever is WAY too short, so the angle on it is way too steep and the spring is too strong. They really do suck, but they're better than Spare Air...

 

[rescuediver009]

The guy who recommended the Sherwood Blizzard is on the right track. The uniquely engineered Blizzard is probably the best cold water single hose ever built. They have been used in Antarctica without problems. The G250/MK25 is a great reg but best for use in clear, warm water. Take care to use a reputable shop for service. The Apeks series are a good compromise for cold and warm environments.

One more for the blizzard. A hell of a lot cheaper and pretty closeto the same performance. The blizzard is a work horse and it is used at many dive shops for rental here in ontario where the water is always cold. never seen one fail

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I have a ScubaPro mainly as my LDS carried the line, affordabilty, value, the number of dives I had done at the time of the purchase in 2001 (12) and my general experience with regulators in cold water.

Since then, I've done several dives in some dives listed in my dive log as 'brutally cold'. I have found that when the air temp is below 20F compounded by wind, keeping the regulator in the water while donning fins is really the only way to prevent freeze ups of equipment, thus thwarting a free-flow. I keep my snorkel in my mouth until my fins are donned and keep my chest inflator valve on my drysuit submerged until I I am ready to dive.

I am by no means a tech diver nor have I tried an abundance of regulators. My S600 works just fine for me. I think a conscientious approach as to cold water entry (from shore) may help as well. I have to be more conscientious of where the optimum flow is for my 2nd stage reg (adjust that Venturi affect). This goes for alternate too. I do this as part of my check when I do my BWRAF. I have seen people freeze up their chest inflators, free flow their regs and exhaust/dump valve due to partial submersion of their equipment as they fiddle with other things. I learned the hard way with my exhaust valve stuck open because I was careless with my body positioning in the water while donning my fins on a particularly cold day. Those few seconds of warming beneath the water level was enough for the vane to catch, but I felt the cold water. Lesson learned.

I stood next to a person who was part of another buddy team who after being partially submerged, stood up checked out other gear, pressed on his ice encrusted chest inflator and then complained that it didn't work. Asking him to submerge the chest inflator below the surface of the water to warm it up was a difficult concept for him to grasp. His inclination was to exit the water rather than enter it for warmth - despite the obvious cold air temp (-4F). In this situation it was not the equipment, but rather the user not fully being accustomed to the environment and changing entry/exit procedures slightly.

Just my .02

 

[Wijbrandus]

Alaska Diver,

Are you saying I may actually have to alter my technique? I may have to learn something? I can't just buy the right magic piece of equipment, and not ever worry about the problem? [/sarcasm]

You've actually brought up a very good point that I really hadn't thought about. If you guys way up there can really keep it all working in those conditions, then my mountain lakes should be a piece of cake with the proper precautions. Like your dive buddy, I don't think it would have occurred to me to submerge my gear to keep it from freezing. I also appreciate your tips.

I took a look at the Blizzard regulator this weekend. I even sat down and talked with the vendor at a scuba event held locally. He really talked a nice game on the regs. Between him and the Atomics vendor, they had our heads spinning about all the different things they do to make their stuff the best. I wish I could have talked to a Scubapro and an Apeks vendor as well.